Freshmen Shine in Season Opener

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale women's track and field team competed in its first meet of the year on Saturday at Coxe Cage. Though the meet was unscored, the Bulldogs did not hold anything back from competition, as six won their events and four added their names to the Yale record lists. In particular, the freshmen class turned in several solid performances for the Bulldogs.

Perhaps the most outstanding result by a freshman was posted by Karleh Wilson, who claimed first in the shot put as well as fifth all-time at Yale in her first collegiate competition. Her heave of 39'6.5" (12.05m) bested the rest of the field by three feet and established Wilson as a member of the class of 2016 to watch. Senior Antonia Renker also won a field event: she heaved the weight 46'1.5" (14.06m) to place first in the weight throw.

The rest of Yale's wins came in the middle and long distance events. Freshman Shannon McDonnell won the 1,000-meter run in 3:01.46 and freshman Elizabeth McDonald won the 3,000-meter in 10:29.30. Sophomore Anna Demaree placed first in the 5,000-meter run in 17:45.02 after an abbreviated rest from cross country season. Senior Annelies Gamble won the one mile run by 10 seconds as she finished in 5:04.75.

Sophomore Alisha Jordan set a collegiate record in the triple jump with a leap of 38'11" (11.40m). Her second-place effort was also good enough to place her eighth on Yale's all-time list in the event. Junior Kristen Proe was fourth in the triple jump in 34'10.25" (10.62m).

Senior captain Allison Rue also climbed the Yale record list with her personal record of 1:16.47 in the 500-meter dash. She was second in the event and is now sixth all-time at Yale.

Another freshman wrote her name in the record book on Saturday. Renee Vogel was third in the pole vault with a leap of 10'4" (3.15m), which is the sixth-best mark ever posted by a Yale athlete. Junior Emily Urciuoli was second in the pole vault at 10'10" (Urciuoli is third all-time).

Junior Amanda Snajder was third in the long jump with a jump of 17'1.5" (5.22m). She was also eighth in the 60-meter hurdles in 9.64. Senior Dakota McCoy lead Yale in the hurdles with a fourth-place finish. Her time of 9.49 put her just ahead of fifth-place sophomore Emily Cable in 9.52.

Freshman Sydney Cureton was fourth in the 60-meter dash. She survived a field of 25 athletes, posting a time of 8.07 to advance from her heat to the finals. Cureton shaved 0.10 seconds off her time to finish in 7.97 while her first time would have left her tied for sixth in the final. Cureton also finished ninth in the 200-meter dash (26.44).

Another freshman jumper competed well on Saturday: freshman Megan Toon. She posted a mark of 4'11" (1.5m) to finish fourth as Yale's lone competitor in the event.

The Bulldogs will be back in action on Jan. 12, when they host the Yale Invitational at Coxe Cage.